Charged particle beam irradiation apparatus, charged particle beam irradiating method, and method of attaching and detaching transport line

• US 8,546,769 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited
• Inventors: Uno, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOFFA, WYATT A
• Application Number:
  US13/293,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20120119106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.1, 250/396.ML
• US Class Current: 250/396.ML
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1077 Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1079 Sharing a beam by multiple treatment stations
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2007/048 for modifying beam trajectory, e.g. gantry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 7/04 Magnet systems , e.g. undulators, wigglers free-electron laser H01S3/0903; Energisation thereof

Abstract

A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus includes an accelerator that accelerates the charged particle beam; a first transport line that transports the charged particle beam which is delivered from the accelerator; a plurality of second transport lines that may be provided for each of plurality of irradiation chambers and further transports the charged particle beam to be transported by the first transport line to the respective irradiation chambers; and a line switching unit that may be provided between the first transport line and the second transport lines, wherein the plurality of irradiation chambers may be radially disposed around the line switching unit, the line switching unit has an electromagnet that induces the charged particle beam, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the electromagnet, and the second transport lines of the induction place may be switched by rotating the electromagnet.

Claims

1. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that includes a plurality of irradiation chambers, and irradiates irradiation targets in the irradiation chambers with a charged particle beam, the apparatus comprising:

an accelerator that accelerates the charged particle beam;

a first transport line that transports the charged particle beam which is delivered from the accelerator;

a plurality of second transport lines that are provided for each of a plurality of irradiation chambers and further transport the charged particle beam to be transported by the first transport line to the respective irradiation chambers; and

a line switching unit that is provided between the first transport line and the plurality of second transport lines, induces the charged particle beam from the first transport line to any of the plurality of second transport lines, and can selectively switch the second transport line of an induction place,

wherein the plurality of irradiation chambers is radially disposed around the line switching unit,

the line switching unit includes an electromagnet that induces the charged particle beam, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the electromagnet, and

the plurality of second transport lines of the induction place are switched by rotating the electromagnet; and

wherein the line switching unit includes;

a tubular connection line that is provided with the electromagnet, mediates the connection between the first transport line of a tubular shape and one of the plurality of second transport lines of a tubular shape, and causes the charged particle beam to pass therethrough;

a rotation support portion that rotatably supports the connection line and the electromagnet around a connection portion between one end of the connection line and the first transport line; and

a movement connection portion that is provided in another end of the connection line and is moved in each position capable of being connected to the respective second transport lines along with rotation of the connection line and the electromagnet, and

wherein, in an upstream end portion of the second transport line, a second transport line opening and closing valve which opens and closes the second transport line is provided, and the movement connection portion includes;

a connection line opening and closing valve that opens and closes the connection line; and

a tubular expansion and contraction portion that is provided at a downstream side further than the connection line opening and closing valve, and is attached to and detached from the upstream end portion of the second transport line by being expanded and contracted in an advancement direction of the charged particle beam.

2. The charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of irradiation chambers and the accelerator are provided in different floors of a building, and

the first transport line is extended from a floor provided with the accelerator to a floor provided with the irradiation chamber.

3. A charged particle beam irradiating method of irradiating an irradiation target in a plurality of irradiation chambers with a charged particle beam, the method comprising:

a charged particle beam acceleration step of accelerating the charged particle beam by an accelerator,

a first transport step of transporting the charged particle beam accelerated at the charged particle beam acceleration step by a first transport line;

a second transport step of transporting the charged particle beam to be transported at the first transport step to the plurality of irradiation chambers, by any of second transport lines provided for each of the plurality of irradiation chambers; and

a line switching step of selectively switching the second transport line of an induction place by a line switching unit that is provided between the first transport line and the second transport lines and induces the charged particle beam from the first transport line to any one of second transport lines,

wherein the plurality of irradiation chambers is radially disposed around the line switching unit,

the line switching unit includes an electromagnet that induces the charged particle beam, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the electromagnet, and

at the line switching step, the second transport lines of the induction place are switched by rotating the electromagnet,

wherein the line switching unit includes

a tubular connection line that is provided with an electromagnet, mediates a connection between the first transport line of a tubular shape and the second transport line of a tubular shape, and causes the charged particle beam to pass therethrough;

a rotation support portion that rotatably supports the tubular connection line and the electromagnet around a connection portion between one end of the tubular connection line and the first transport line; and

a movement connection portion that is provided in another end of the tubular connection line and is moved in each position capable of being connected to the respective second transport lines along with a rotation of the tubular connection line and the electromagnet,

in an upstream end portion of the second transport line, a second transport line opening and closing valve is provided which opens and closes the second transport lines,

the movement connection portion includes

a connection line opening and closing valve that opens and closes the tubular connection line; and

a tubular expansion and contraction portion that is provided at a downstream side further than the connection line opening and closing valve, and is attached to and detached from the upstream end portion of the second transport line by being expanded and contracted in an advancement direction of the charged particle beam, and

the line switching step includes

a first step of opening a vacuum in the tubular expansion and contraction portion by closing the second transport line opening and closing valve of the second transport line to be connected to the movement connection portion and the connection line opening and closing valve;

a second step of shortening the tubular expansion and contraction portion to eliminate a connection between the tubular expansion and contraction portion and the second transport line;

a third step of rotating the connection line and the electromagnet to move the movement connection portion to another second transport line;

a fourth step of expanding the tubular expansion and contraction portion, connecting the same to the upstream end portion of another second transport line, and drawing the vacuum in the tubular expansion and contraction portion; and

a fifth step of opening the second transport line opening and closing valve of another second transport line and the connection line opening and closing valve.